HSE warns of danger of wild birds - Don’t touch sick or dead wild birds
- The HSE is echoing advice from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) not to touch or handle any sick or dead wild birds, because of the risks of avian influenza.
- Two recent cases of avian influenza in wild birds means that the avian influenza virus is circulating in wild birds and has the potential to cause more wild bird death and illness.
Bird flu or avian influenza (AI) is a type of influenza that primarily affects wild birds and poultry, and which can also occasionally infect some mammals and humans. Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is a type of AI that can cause high levels of illness and deaths in birds. Of the many strains of HPAI viruses, the H5N1 virus is widely regarded as the most serious for both birds and humans. Since 2003, there have been nearly 1,000 human cases of H5N1, half of whom have died.
After a period of low HPAI activity in Ireland, two separate cases of the H5N1 strain of HPAI have recently been identified in buzzards; one in the west of the country in early December and one in the east of the country in late December. These are the first wild bird detections in Ireland since September 2023 and are not unexpected since HPAI activity has been increasing across Europe, including several outbreaks on poultry farms in the UK in 2024.
Although is very unusual for people to catch bird flu, it can happen. Currently, it is hard to catch AI from a bird or animal, and there is no evidence that it can be passed between people, but if the virus mutates (changes) this may happen in the future. It is therefore important to prevent people getting H5N1, since:
- It can - rarely - produce serious disease in people,
- At this time of year, when there is a lot of seasonal flu around, mixing of AI and seasonal flu in a person could allow the virus to mutate and become better at spreading between people, and
- If a person is infected with HPAI, it could be passed from people to Irish poultry flocks leading to severe disease among birds.
The HSE is reiterating the advice of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) to the public – namely:
- H5N1 HPAI virus is now circulating in wild birds in Ireland, and is now confirmed on both sides of the country, and
- The public are reminded not to touch sick or dead wild birds. DAFM requests that all sick/dead wild birds are reported via the Avian Check app. While not all dead birds will be collected for testing, reporting is greatly appreciated and provides important information to support surveillance and risk assessment activities.
In addition, if a person picks up or handles sick or dead wild birds that are found to be infected with AI, they will be monitored for a period of 10 days and may be offered antiviral medication and vaccination if they are considered to be at risk.
Further information on avian influenza is available from: